Pelargonium plant named ‘Pacbluebe’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Pacbluebe’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; dark and light purple bi-colored flowers that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles; no requirement for cooling treatment; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium crispum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PACBLUEBE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium crispum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pacbluebe’.

The new Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new early and freely flowering Pelargonium plants with attractive flowers.

The new Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2006 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium crispum, not patented. The new Pelargonium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since October, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Pelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Pelargonium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Pacbluebe’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Pacbluebe’ as a new and distinct Pelargonium plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dark and light purple bi-colored flowers that are held above         the foliar plane on strong peduncles.     -   6. Does not require cooling treatment for flower development.     -   7. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower coloration. In addition, plants of the new Pelargonium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Pelargonium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium crispum ‘Pacburg’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,862. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Pelargonium differed from plants of ‘Pacburg’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium had narrower leaves and leaf         petioles than plants of ‘Pacburg’.     -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium had broader leaves than plants         of ‘Pacburg’.     -   3. Plants of the new Pelargonium and ‘Pacburg’ differed in         flower color.     -   4. Plants of the new Pelargonium had longer peduncles (umbel         stems) than plants of ‘Pacburg’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Pelargonium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Pelargonium plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacbluebe’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the winter, spring and summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Pelargonium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 16° C., night temperatures averaged 14° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were pinched six weeks after planting and were four months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium crispum ‘Pacbluebe’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium crispum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium crispum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About three weeks             at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant             habit; broad inverted triangle; densely foliated; moderately             vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit with             numerous lateral branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 5 cm to 15 cm. Diameter:             About 2 cm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Texture: Slightly             pubescent. Color: Close to 146B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate or opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 2 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Roughly orbicular; palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Biserrate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Rough, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Slightly pubescent along veins.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 147B. Zonation pattern: Not observed.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 143A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single flowers             arranged in inversely conical umbels arising from apical             leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on             strong flexible peduncles; flowers face upright to outward;             freely flowering habit; about three to four flowers per             umbel with about 40 umbels developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about four months after planting; in the garden in             Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until             frost; plants do not require a cooling treatment for flower             initiation and development.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Spindle-shaped. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl; two upper and three lower petals; petals imbricate.             Length, upper petals: About 2.2 cm. Length, lower petals:             About 2 cm. Width, upper petals: About 1.7 cm. Width, lower             petals: About 1.5 cm. Shape, upper petals: Obovate. Shape,             lower petals: Irregularly lobed. Apex, all petals: Rounded;             reflexing. Base, all petals: Cuneate. Margin, all petals:             Entire. Texture, all petals, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color, all petals: When opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 187A; towards the             margins and base, close to 75A; venation, close to 59A. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 187B;             towards the margins and base, close to 75A; venation, close             to 59A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute; reflexing. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 6 cm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Angle: Slightly outwardly             slanted. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture:             Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 146B and 166A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About seven. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: Close to 179A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 167A. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm.             Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 59A. Style             length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 59A. Ovary color:             Close to 147C. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development             have not been observed on plants of the new Pelargonium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Pelargoniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Pelargonium plant named ‘Pacbluebe’ as illustrated and described. 